OK lets look at this way the fastest Escorts in Australia, four cylinder on radial tyres, use vented rotors supplied by me and Mintex pads in T16 calipers.
 
To suggest based on that fact that Volvo calipers offer more stopping power can only mean the wrong combination of pad and/or fluid was being used or the braking system overall was not up to the task.
 
If people want to use them go for it.
 
The reality is though:
4 pistons doesn't automatically mean better than 2.
Volvo service kits are dearer.
Volvo pistons are dearer.
Volvo calipers require machining and/or adaptors to fit.
Volvo pads are dearer.
Volvo calipers also flex and wear the pads tapered - if your pushing hard enough.
Volvo calipers are heavier.
And unsprung weight IS the most undesirable weight. 

>> "the fastest Escorts in Australia".
Interesting claim Mk1 Lotus - maybe on the East Coast. What about over here in the WA scrub? The fast Escorts here certainly arent all using M16's.
Having said that, from a stopping point of view, its not usually about the caliper itself - the pad and the size of the disc are most important. I've run M16's that stopped just as well as other fancy combinations - good pads is the answer - but for how long is usually the issue.
The biggest issue I had with M16's was the pistons cocking over in the bore and jamming, causing uneven pad wear and pulling to one side or the other. This doesnt seem to happen with the 4 pots, as the pistons are narrower for the same height. Just a physical attribute, but it definatley helps.
I haven't used the Volvo's, but have gone the jap crap Mazda calipers, and they have proven to be trouble free for about 12 years of sprints/hill climbs etc. with only the initial re-kit when I bought them (for $250!). It certainly put my 10 years of M16 pain behind me never to look back.
 
Ash

The only thing to come out of WA that's quick is the RAT.
 
You guys must just be bolting on calipers from a wrecking yard or something, NONE of the problems any of you have sighted happen to reconditioned calipers or if you want you can buy brand new T16's for less $200 a pair.
 
The point everyone seems to be missing is if you can lock the wheels with the calipers fitted they have more than enough stopping power, how many times you want to stop comes down to pads and fluid.
 
How long you want your shocks to hang on comes down to unsprung weight.
 
If it's a road car.... well? where are you even going to use it hard enough to find out?
 
The question was how good are they? There not, but they will lock the wheels if you push hard enough.

I run the standard T16 calipers with standard diameter vented rotors on my Nc Twin Cam and have no problems at all. My mates RS1600 has Volvo 4 spots and I have no trouble catching him or just about any other car under braking. I have never had brake fade in any race and have really good pedal feel. I spoke to Howard at Race Brakes and he says the standard twink caliper has more clamping force and less flex than the Volvo. Dont know about that but I have no reason to want to change anyway.
I ran the standard calipers on my tarmac Twin Cam and found towards the end of a long, very twisty stage, (over 20k's) I was getting a bit of fade. I swapped to AP 4 spots on the front with larger rotors and Sierra rear discs and found them excellent with almost no fade. However on a circuit such as Phillip Island or Sandown the Nc car stops just as good if not better than my tarmac car.
 Cheers Peter

good thread, it's good to hear from people that have actually tried them, so what's a good set of pads for a road race escort ? with std calipers

Who or what is the RAT? Zaps rat? I think he's using outlaw calipers :)
 
Mr Lotus, I totally agree that the stopping power of the M16's is good - I've run DS3000's in them and found them to be awesome from a stopping power point of view lap after lap. The only issue was reliability (pistons) and the relatively small disc (Capri 2.8) that had to try and contain the heat (not entirely the calipers fault, but a side effect of what can fit within it). Again, no fade - ever - with DS3000's, but the discs would crack after just a few sessions, so time for bigger discs and some cooling.
 
Barbagallo is meant to be a bvgger of a track for braking systems - maybe that has something to do with it.
 
Road car? Not a problem - M16's with a "fast road" pad - add the capri discs and spacers for the odd track day. Ferodo TS2000's are good (also called "FF"'s), but I dont think you can get them anymore. Mintex M1144's were also pretty good - again, not sure they are still available. Having to find something for my daily GC8 (never tracked) and not having much luck myself.
 
Ash

Ash couple q's..
What mazda callipers are you using? rx7? Whats the power compared to M16? Also what disc sizes..
And was the re-kit just the seal kit? $250 seems excessive..?

Hi Evo,
They are the S4/S5 RX7 calipers.
The piston sizes are 36mm diameter, so it works out to slightly less fluid required to displace them than the M16's (54mm). What that effectively means is you need more pedal pressure to get the same pad pressure on the disc (works out at 11% more). Pads are larger than M16.
On the RX7, the discs are around 290mm. I'm using BMW 5 series discs that are 285x22 and mount over the hub (not behind like escort/capri and TX3).
$250 for the pair of calipers 2nd hand from a jap wrecker. Seal kit was something like $20-30 per caliper.
Paul Dunstan has written a comprehensive page on this conversion in the brakes section of the forum.
Ash

I actually have the same rx7 setup going on my mk1. Just didn't understand what you spent the $250 but you explained that now (thought you meant just the rebuild/seal kit).
Callipers are cheap from the US for those interested. Even with postage was half the price of what i found on ebay etc over here.

Hawk.
 
HP's are similar to Bendix ultimate but better price $110 set with no noise and very little dust. range 49c - 400c.
 
HP Plus have better co-efficent than HP's and will go a bit longer with out fade, same operating temp, bit of noise and will leave dust $160 set.
 
HT-10 Race pad. Stop with a few meters of anything I've used, but they last. DS3000 I would get 2 meetings, HT-10 I get 4-5. $265 set.